Pets can become not only true friends for children, but also a great way to teach them responsibility. However, before you bring home a hamster, puppy or kitten, think about whether your offspring is ready for such a gift and which fluffy animal is best suited for the baby in temperament. Use our tips to find the perfect pet for your family.
What to consider when choosing?
Before making such an important decision, weigh the numerous pros and cons of the presence of the animal in your apartment, so that instead of positive moments you do not get a headache. If your child has no contraindications in the form of an allergy to wool, pay attention to the following:
- Age crumbs
Do not combine the birth of a baby with the appearance of a pet, otherwise you will have to look after two immediately children 🙂 (one of them is a dog or a cat). If you are confident in your abilities, then get a pet and bring both of them from the cradle.
Children up to five years old are more suitable for small fluffy animals or birds, which you will be watching. Older children will already be able to carefully take care of four-legged friends: feed them, wash the cells and even walk. Teenagers are ready to shoulder the care of almost any living creature.
- Children's temperament
The dog is suitable, perhaps, to any peanut, regardless of the type of temperament. A person’s friend will frolic along with energetic choleric and sanguine people, and will also be able to stir up slow phlegmatic and melancholic people. If your child is unduly excitable (hurricane child: how to deal with hyperactivity), set up an aquarium with leisurely fish at home or get a cat. The tailed beauty will also help calm the capricious and hysterical babies, and the talkative parrot will talk to the silent and uncommunicative preschooler.
- Pet age
Try to get a 3-4 month old dog or kitty. Young owners have insufficiently developed coordination and control over emotions. In a fit of passion, a child can hold a tiny animal too tightly, which will lead to negative consequences. It is also impossible to predict how the wayward adult beast will react to not always pleasant manifestations of childish affection (tugging at the ears or tail).
Important! It is necessary to find out in advance the preferences of households and to distribute between them the responsibilities of looking after the future pet. Be sure to read the special literature, consult with an experienced veterinarian, contact a pet store for a purchase. Thus, you will be safe from possible problems and establish peaceful coexistence of your child with a new family member.
Pet choice
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Scientists have proven that children who care for their furry pets have reduced aggressiveness and increased self-control.That is why almost any pet will be of great benefit for improving the behavior and stabilization of the nervous system in preschool children.
- Dog
A lot has already been written about the advantages of the fourth friend, so we will not list them. Let's talk about pitfalls and possible shortcomings. Firstly, the dog can seriously cripple the "young naturalist", so you need to take care of the elementary training. Secondly, you will have to spend quite large amounts of money on its maintenance: special food, vaccinations, preventive examinations. Thirdly, it requires constant attention: daily walks, games with people and communication with other dogs. It turns out that you have not just a living creature, but one more child. If all this does not scare you, let's dwell on the breed in more detail. Collie, Labradors, Retriever, German Shepherds get along wonderfully with the kids. But the most flexible and grateful are, of course, ordinary mongrels.
- Cat
If you have a long working day, then you can stay on the cat. It takes up less space than, for example, St. Bernard, it is not necessary to walk it. However, this independent creature will not tolerate attacks on its tail or mustache and will be able to scratch. Therefore, experts do not recommend getting a cat if your baby is not yet three years old. And yet, with proper training and timely accustoming to the toilet, kittens will become universal favorites and reliable companions. Just beware of acquiring a wayward Siamese, but rather take a purebred cat / cat or voluminous Persian.
We also read: Kitten as a gift: pros and cons
- Rodents
Guinea pigs and hamsters are obedient animals that play with children with pleasure, but they do not tolerate rudeness, so they can bite and scratch. Caring for them is quite simple: buy a cage or a house and constantly change the litter to avoid unpleasant odors.
Decorative rats are another convenient option, unless you suffer from fears and prejudices. They are smart, easily come into contact with the kids, and those of them are just crazy. The only negative is that the representatives of this mammalian order do not live long, so get ready to explain to the crumbs where her little friend disappeared.
- Fish
Pretty controversial decision. It’s not so difficult to keep an eye on the aquarium, and the fish calm down hyperactive children and decorate the room. On the other hand, the baby prefers to stroke, touch and touch, and not just admire, so the kids throw water animals and ask for another animal. If you still decided to dwell on this option, then choose cheap copies. Guppies are easier to care for than goldfish, and they are much cheaper.
- Birds
It’s not very difficult to take care of the birds: pour grain daily, change the water and wash the cage tray. Canaries are suitable for kids, which will delight them with beautiful songs. Small parrots are also very funny, but large parrots can hurt, so do not rush to make such a purchase. Another minus - they get up early and shout loudly (sometimes, disgustingly). But, unlike other pets, their lifespan is long, so the child, barely attached to his pet, will not grieve because of his loss.
- Rabbit
Funny and affectionate animals require special care. You will need to regularly monitor the freshness of the water, feed only fresh herbs, and in the warmer months take them outside. Their hair must be combed to avoid tangles. Perhaps there are too many worries for the young owner. And also the crumb is capable of accidentally injuring the pussies, holding him too tightly to himself.
- Other animals
Turtles are rarely bred as pets, as they sleep a lot. Agree that such a home inhabitant is not suitable for a child who is set up for the game. It is now fashionable to contain huge snails - Achatina. They are unpretentious: you can wash the aquarium only twice a month.They feed on tender lettuce and other vegetables.
Recently, there has been a growing demand for ferrets that are funny and easily trained. But do not forget that they often smell unpleasantly, and this problem is not always solved by castration.
Unsuitable mates for preschool children are exotic creatures: a variety of lizards, snakes and spiders. Some species of arthropods are poisonous, therefore, pose a danger to all households.
READ ALSO: The influence of pets on child development
If your offspring asks for a four-legged friend, do not immediately refuse. Perhaps an affectionate doggie or kitten will become favorites for all family members. Therefore, take a responsible approach to the choice of a pet, taking into account the age, temperament and desires of the child.
Recently presented a kitten to his son of ten years. While they didn’t see much love, the youngest son of five found a common language with the cat, when he comes from the kindergarten the cat flies at him at a gallop, sleeps only with him, even the younger takes care of the cat better than the eldest. Therefore, it is very difficult to definitely say which animal is suitable for the child, most likely it is just necessary that they agree on the characters and then everything will be fine.
It is necessary that the child sees that the pet is responding to the care shown to him, to stroking, so that he understands that it is pleasant to the animal. More “emotional” in this regard, dogs, cats. A child, observing them, their reactions, will realize how important caring and tenderness are.
I want to share advice with those parents who decided to have a pet for their child. First of all, check your offspring for allergies, as it will be a big trauma for the child when you give him a kitten or puppy, and then take it away, due to the fact that an allergy will appear. Explaining such things to a child is quite difficult and can cause him a lot of pain.
Sea turtles and all kinds of small rodents are good, but they are not those pets that will add something to the upbringing or character of your child. Personally, I considered only cats and dogs for myself. We didn’t have any allergies, but we still decided to be safe and bought a Giant Schnauzer puppy whose hair is not allergenic and besides, they are considered the most patient dogs in relation to small children. What a nanny dog!